HealthyCal.org reports that the Community-Based Adult Services (CBAS) began as a replacement for the Adult Day Health Care Program (ADHC) on Monday this week. Some ADHC clients who were denied approval for CBAS are appealing, and some centers are continuing to offer services while others have had to deny entry for people who weren't approved for CBAS. Disability Rights California has filed a contempt motion against the state for its implementation of a settlement that was agreed to in December 2011. For more information, visit:

The Columbus Dispatch reports that meal programs in Franklin County are increasingly being paid for by local levy dollars as compared to federal funding. The County Commissioners recently approved $317,000 in funding for the congregate meals program. A property tax of $28 per $100,000 of home value expires at the end of the year, and voters will likely be asked to support a continuation, possibly with an increase, in November. The levy generates about $23.6 million a year, and a service provider whose program serves about 1,000 seniors a day at 20 centers has suggested that it needs to increase. For more information, visit:

Direct Care Alliance interviewed Lisa Pugh, the public policy coordinator of Disability Rights Wisconsin, about a recent state law that lifted caps that had been imposed on three Medicaid HCBS programs. Pugh discussed Family Care, which is a waiver that is available in 57 of Wisconsin's 72 counties. Another program, IRIS (Include, Respect, I Self-Direct) is a consumer directed program and is offered wherever Family Care is offered. A third program, Family Care Partnership, is an integrated health and long-term care program for frail elderly and people with disabilities. In July, the Governor and legislature implemented a cap on the programs, and by November, there were 8,200 people on the waiting list. Pugh highlights a statewide advocacy campaign with a 40 member coalition, letters to CMS, visits with state legislators, and a "Take Your Legislator to Work" day wherein legislators came to work with people with developmental disabilities. In March 2012, the Governor lifted the cap on the program. For more information, visit:

The County Health Rankings (CHR) released 2012 County Health Rankings that provides updated data on measures of health at the county level. In addition, a new "roadmap" feature is intended to empower people to learn, communicate, and organize on plans for improving their county's health. For more information, visit:

In the March 21 issue of PolicyDigest, we inaccurately stated a proposal by New York Governor Mario Cuomo. The proposal referred to "spousal refusal," not spousal impoverishment. Thank you to our alert reader who highlighted our error. The link to the original article is available here:

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments about the Affordable Care Act in March and National Public Radio recently examined the history and origins of one of the most controversial parts of the law, the individual mandate. Mark Pauly, a health care policy expert, explained that the idea originated from a group of academics brought to the White House in 1989. While President George H.W. Bush liked the idea and legislation was drafted, it was never introduced because Congressional Democrats indicated they would never vote for it. Under this earlier proposed mandate, failure to buy health care insurance would have resulted in a penalty costing the same amount as the cheapest qualified health insurance policy. The mandate re-emerged in 1993 as an alternative to President Clinton's attempted health car reform. For more information, visit:

A study in the Gerontologist focuses on the differences in how baby boomers approach caregiving. Based on interviews with 39 baby boomers, the authors explain that baby boomers don't view themselves solely as caregivers. Instead, they view caregiving as one of many commitments, including work, family, and social commitments. The authors explain that the participants discussed limits they put on the caregiving they do provide, based on the hours involved and what this might mean for other commitments. For example, many boomers were reluctant to take on hands-on care and felt comfortable delegating those tasks to service providers. The authors conclude: "Based on this new approach to caregiving, we advance the idea of a "denaturalization" of care, no longer seen as a "natural" destiny or "normal" family responsibility." For more information, visit:

The Independent reports that the Inspector of Prisons recently visited a prison in Dublin and found that the prison was not meeting the needs of some prisoners with mobility, sight, and dementia issues. Some of the prisoners were assisted with daily living tasks by other prisoners. Addressing the needs of elderly prisoners, especially those with long-term care needs, was the focus of a recent series by the New York Times, who profiled a group of prisoners, the "Gold Coats," who assist other inmates who have dementia. For more information, visit:

The Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association is celebrating National Caregiving Day on April 5. A webinar will focus on advanced care planning, understanding the process of passing, a review of supportive services that are available, and strategies for coping as a caregiver. For more information, visit:

Family Caregiver Alliance released their second annual "Caregiving Year in Review" report during a session at the Aging in America conference last week. The guide provides an overview of key developments in 2011, including research focused on caregivers, program changes, legislation at the state and federal levels, and media coverage. Summaries include hyperlinks to the original content. Two shorter versions, "45 Facts About Family Caregivers" and "27 Things You May not Know about Women and Caregiving" are also available online. To view or download, visit:

A new study from the National Alliance on Caregiving and ReACT focuses on employee assistance programs that help employees to navigate elder-care for their loved ones. IBM is highlighted as a pioneer for offering its program beginning in 1988. Seventeen companies were interviewed for their approaches to offering Elder Care Assistance programs. The authors identify a number of trends, including flexible paid time off, resource and referral services, employers subsidizing back-up home care for employees, and geriatric care management and assistance with insurance and long-term care paperwork. Respondents mostly did not document their utilization rates, but they were overall perceived as very low. For more information, visit:

A new research brief from AARP's Public Policy Institute is a concise guide on Social Security, benefit levels, the financing of the program, the timeline for how long the program can pay out full benefits, and possible strategies to ensure solvency of the program. Sixty-four percent of beneficiaries are retired workers, and 51% of these retirees are men, with an average benefit of $1,231 in February 2012. Women represent 97% of people who receive spouse benefits, with an average benefit of $588 in February 2012. For more information, visit:

The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging will hold their 37th annual conference and trade show in Denver, Colorado, from July 7-11. Topics will include AAAs and their roles in managed care; care transition grants; opportunities in the Affordable Care Act; and livable communities. For more information, or to register for the conference, please visit:

The Bureau of Labor Statistics is holding an in-person (Washington DC), free, half-day seminar on April 25, focused on transitioning to the new American FactFinder. The training will include live demonstrations, and while the training is free, capacity is limited. The training is located in Washington DC, and registration is due by noon (Eastern) April 18. For more information, visit:

A webinar sponsored by the National Consumer Law Center on April 11, from 2:00-3:30 PM (EST) will provide an introduction to aging advocates to domestic violence and sexual assault services. Participants will learn about the resources available for older victims, including screening, safety planning, and legal and social service responses. For more information, or to register, visit:

The Administration on Aging is hosting a webinar on April 5 from 2:00-3:00PM (EST) focused on the new requirements that funding from Older Americans Act Title IIID be used solely for programs that have been demonstrated to be evidenced-based. Two communities will be highlighted for meeting the new criteria. For more information, visit:

For April Fool's Day, Family Caregiver Alliance wrote a blog posting with six fictional stories about some of the largest policy issues that affect family caregivers. The stories are 100% fictional, and the quotes from government officials are also made up, however, the data cited in the stories is true. To read the post, please visit:

A new website, launched by the National Senior Citizens Law Center, is intended to provide aging and disability advocates with information as new models for providing care to dual eligibles are created. The website includes state profiles that describe the current status of proposals, as well as recommendations on topics including enrollment, appeals, financing and consumer protections. For more information, visit:

An article this week in the Sierra Vista Herald addresses "oppositional caregiving," defined as not just taking on the care but "the improvement and fixing up of their elders." The author, Frena Gray-Davidson, cautions that the time and energy invested in trying to improve a parent may be better spent. She shares a story of a man who was trying to convince his parents that they needed to exercise more. She listened to his concerns, and then asked how old his parents were. When he responds that they are 88 and 91 years old, she explains that if they don't want to walk at that age, arguing with them might be futile. The article gives an overview for caregivers on what battles are worth fighting and when it's better to let a parent continue with their routines. For more information, visit:

Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) are interested in learning about the experiences of family caregivers. What we learn from this study may help improve support for future caregivers.

*You will be interviewed for 45 minutes over the phone and asked to describe your needs as a caregiver, and your feelings about your relative's health, care needs, and concerns about the future.*You will receive a $25 check for your time.

Please contact Julie Thai at (415) 221-4810 x6496 or Julie.thai@ucsf.edu for more information or to schedule an interview. For more information visit:

The National Center on Caregiving at Family Caregiver Alliance works to advance the development of high-quality and cost-effective policies and programs for caregivers in every state in the country. The National Center is a central source of information and technical assistance on family caregiving for policymakers, health and service providers, program developers, funders, media and families. For questions or further information about the National Center on Caregiving, contact Policy_Digest@caregiver.org or visit the Family Caregiver Alliance website at www.caregiver.org.

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Caregiving PolicyDigest is a publication of the National Center on Caregiving at Family Caregiver Alliance, 785 Market Street, Suite 750, San Francisco, CA 94103.

This project is supported, in part, under a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Aging. Grantees undertaking projects under government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. These contents, however, do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and endorsement by the Federal Government should not be assumed.